Digital Commons Network^™

Comment Sections As Counterpublics; Negotiating Public Discourse In Indonesia’S Digital Media Sphere, Leon Woltermann

Wacana, Journal of the Humanities of Indonesia

This article examines the potential of YouTube comment sections as spaces of commoning in Indonesia’s digital media sphere. Drawing on the concept of counterpublics – that is, parallel discursive arenas where marginalized groups circulate counter discourses and voice their interests – it explores how users negotiate access to the digital public sphere and oppose dominant narratives. The article employs a mixed-methods approach, integrating quantitative and qualitative methods into the analysis of the data, to investigate both the structural features (based on comment metadata) and the discursive content of comments. I argue that the comment sections’ dynamic, non-binding structure facilitates open …

The Cowl - V. 89 N. 20 - April 30, 2026

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Vol. 89 No. 20 - April 30, 2026. 32 pages.

Framing Digital Donation: Innovation And Audience Engagement In Short Video Fundraising On Douyin, Qiuyi Chen

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Short video platforms are increasingly adopted by nonprofit organizations as tools for charitable communication and fundraising. However, limited research has examined how donation appeals are structured and interpreted within these environments. Existing studies focus on emotional appeal, influencer involvement, and algorithmic visibility, yet donation is often treated as a behavioral outcome rather than as a communicative process.

This study conceptualizes charitable donation as a social situation that must be framed and recognized by audiences in short video contexts. Drawing on Goffman’s frame analysis and employing the Visual–Verbal Video Analysis (VVVA) method, the study analyzes 32 publicly available videos from a …

Literacy Nonprofits And Social Media: Advancing An Understanding Of Message Functions And Communication Flows In Online Stakeholder Engagement, Diane M. Goodman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Countless nonprofit organizations in the United States have worked diligently to increase adequate access to literature and to improve child literacy rates through supplemental programming. Revenue growth in a nonprofit depends largely on the relationships between the organization and the public, yet nonprofits face additional obstacles to achieving strategic organizational goals in comparison with their for-profit counterparts (McGee & Donoghue, 2009). Although the majority of nonprofit organizations have been addressing societal issues at a grassroots level (Carter et al., 2019), most community-based nonprofits have faced challenges expanding to other communities and difficulties in replicating effective stakeholder engagement strategies (Nardini et …

Man In The Medium: A Historical Examination Of The Life And Work Of Roger Ailes In The American Political Arena, Korey A. Bowles

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Roger Ailes is one of the most prolific figures in American politics and media of the last 60 or so years. Despite his many contributions and achievements, he remains relatively unknown among the public and underrepresented in the field of communication research. This study uses a critical historical approach to examine the life and influence of Ailes on the American political and media landscapes through his work with Presidents Nixon, Reagan, Bush, and numerous other key political figures, as well as the founding of Fox News Channel. In doing so, this study provides insight into Ailes’ perspective on the ecology …

Rituals, Culture, And The Swiftie Self: An Autoethnography Of The Life Of A Showgirl Release, Karla Auria Sadang Galeon

The Manuscript: Journal of Taylor Swift Studies

This autoethnographic study investigates the meta-cognitive labor and ritualistic practices involved in constructing a contemporary digital fan identity. Drawing from detailed self-generated data (pre-release journals and real-time video reactions) surrounding the release of Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl, the research asks: "What are the rituals that construct, regulate, and sustain a fan identity in this media event?" This thematic analysis revealed four interconnected categories of fan rituals that underscore the active, self-monitoring nature of fandom: Rituals of Preparation and Sanctified Space (transforming consumption into a structured event), Rituals of Relational and Aesthetic Boundary Work (negotiating personal relevance …

Taylor Swift, Gender, And Feminism: What Do The Data Say?, Maxine Lewis

The Manuscript: Journal of Taylor Swift Studies

In the world of Swiftian scholarship, several scholars have credited Taylor Swift with feminist impact, while others have criticized both her type of feminism and claims to be a feminist. Many arguments rest on a narrow group of protest songs (“The Man”, “You Need To Calm Down”, and “Only The Young”) and a short period of Swift’s career in which she made many paratextual political gestures (2019-2020). However, claims about a songwriter’s feminism (or lack thereof) will be more accurate, robust, and nuanced if they draw on data from her whole career.

This article provides the first systematic survey of …

Expanding The Pantheon Of “Place-Myth”: Media-Induced Travel In College Students Who Study Abroad, Isabella M. Shevetz

Honors College Theses

Media-induced tourism refers to any travel that is in some part motivated by the consumption of mass media related to that location. Media-induced tourism and mass-tourism have led to nation branding and destination marketing across the globe, two industry phenomena that have worked to skyrocket tourism in places where it was not previously a large driver of the local economy. The expansion of mass media availability and the birth of social media mean the media roles of producer and audience member have blurred. Ordinary people now have the influential power of large media corporations. In destination marketing, the user-generated content …

Taman Kota Sebagai Ruang Publik Dalam Meningkatkan Intraksi Sosial, Reakreasi, Dan Ekspresi Budaya Masyarakat Perkotaan, Tar Isa Wulan Dari

Jurnal Sosial Humaniora Terapan

Urban parks represent a strategic form of public space that plays a significant role in supporting social life in urban communities. This study aims to analyze the role of urban parks as public spaces in enhancing social interaction, recreational activities, and cultural expression among urban residents. The research employs a literature review and descriptive analysis of relevant previous studies. The findings indicate that urban parks function as social interaction spaces that bring together diverse community groups regardless of age, social status, or cultural background, thereby strengthening social cohesion and a sense of belonging. In addition, urban parks provide recreational facilities …

Do We Even Know What ‘Even’ Does? A Ca Investigation, Emily Johnson

Comm-entary

Emily is a Senior communication major with a Business Administration minor. She is originally from Merrimack, NH, and is planning on working in PR or something similar when she graduates in May.

What does “even” do in conversation? This study shows that when used mid-turn, “even” functions as a systematic device for intensifying stance. Analyzing naturally occurring interactions, I demonstrate how speakers use “even” to upgrade assessments, noticings, and complaints, making them more extreme or noteworthy. Recipients consistently orient to this intensification through agreement, accounts, or escalation. Even when the upgrade is left incomplete, others step in to realize it, …

The Celebrity Fantasy: Digital Identity, Performance, And Catfish Deception, Erin L. Dutton

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

This paper examines how celebrity fantasy shapes digital identity and contributes to vulnerability in catfishing scenarios. Using ideological criticism, this study analyzes two episodes of MTV’s Catfish involving celebrity impersonation to explore how digital spaces make it easy to perform a public persona. Research on online identity and parasocial relationships argues that people often feel close to celebrities and are drawn to the fantasy of being noticed by them. In these episodes, the fantasy becomes a tool for deception. Findings suggest that catfishers rely on celebrity tropes to gain appeal, while victims are pulled in by the thrill and validation …

How The Word ‘Fucking’ Constructs Emotional Stance In Conversation, Madeline Riechers

Comm-entary

Madeline Riechers is a Communication major at UNH set to graduate in 2026. She is originally from Dalton, Massachusetts, and plans to continue her education in Language and Social Interaction after graduating from UNH. She is a part of UNH GIVE, and is an editor at the Comm-entary!

This piece uses conversation analysis concepts to examine what the word ‘fucking’ does in everyday conversation and how it conveys the emotions and stance of the participants. It examines 4 real-life cases of ‘fucking’ being used, demonstrating how it changes the meaning of the utterance and therefore the course of the conversation.

The Cowl - V. 89 N. 18 - April 16, 2026

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Vol. 89 No. 18 - April 16, 2026. 20 pages.

Protecting Free Speech And Promoting Civility: The Dueling Responsibilities Of American Colleges And Universities, Tara N. Parsons

International Journal on Responsibility

Freedom House estimates that 75% of the world’s population lives in countries that experienced a democratic decline in 2020. Even in long established democracies, liberal democratic values have been shaken. As democracy requires an enlightened citizenry cultivated by a college education, many American universities and colleges adopt civic instruction and engagement as a core responsibility and mission. However, growing anti-intellectualism has drawn increased scrutiny and suspicion towards the programming, curriculum, and core values of universities. Powerful political figures regularly accuse universities of stifling conservative voices and discouraging free speech. The tension between free speech and civic dialogue requires a reframing …

Creative Engagement For Community Through The Life-Span, D. Nicole English, Pelgy Vaz

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Creative Engagement for Community Through the Life-Span

Creative Engagement includes crafts, cultural practices, expressive arts, and activities that bring people together. Having access to such activities enables people to develop healthy habits, social interactions, and build community that can sustain one throughout the lifespan. On-going research indicates that Creative Engagement Activities, and the Communities of Practice that build around them, benefit people throughout the life-span, but become particularly important to older adults, by building resilience and social connections, in the face of inevitable life losses.

https://youtu.be/r3JS5YP-MnM

Beyond Green: Re-Reading "Wicked" As Anthropological Text, Tan Gia Bao Huynh

Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy

This paper examines "Wicked" through the lens of cultural borderlands, revealing how the musical dramatizes the creation and navigation of social boundaries. By analyzing Elphaba's journey, the research demonstrates how her green skin serves as a powerful metaphor for cultural otherness, while her experiences at Shiz University and beyond illustrate strategies of resistance, accommodation, and identity formation familiar to those navigating between dominant and marginalized spaces. Particularly significant is the paper's examination of Oz's propaganda system, which demonstrates how cultures manufacture monsters and heroes through selective storytelling and public ritual. This analysis offers fresh insights into "Wicked's" enduring appeal, suggesting …

2026 Diversity Climate Survey Report, Illinois Math And Science Academy

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Resources

No abstract provided.

Opening Closed Doors: Supporting Undergraduate Scholars Through Open-Access Publishing, Amelia Baker, Kiara O'Neal, Mikkel Cullen, Amy Buddie, Haleigh Edmonds

All Things Open

Undergraduate publishing is often a closed door due to paywalls, publication fees, and limited access to mentorship. The Kennesaw Journal of Undergraduate Research (KJUR) uses an open-access framework to remove these barriers and expand equitable access to scholarly publishing for students at Kennesaw State University. KJUR is free to submit to and publish in, ensuring financial constraints do not prevent students from sharing their work. The journal is operated by paid and volunteer student editors, providing mentored, hands-on experience in academic publishing. Emphasizing open pedagogy, KJUR supports student authors through developmental editing and multi-semester collaboration, guiding them through …

The Media's Influence On The Public's Perception Of Police Use Of Force, Kristopher D. Lauro

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Police use of force has long been a concern within law enforcement, but in recent decades, it has faced increasing scrutiny from the general public and across all sectors of society, sparking widespread debate on the practice. The rise of body-worn cameras (BWCs) and the prevalence of cell phone recordings of police incidents have amplified attention on the issue. Media representations of police use of force are influential in bringing together or shaping public opinion and often encapsulate ideological biases; the pervasive publicity associated with such incidents provides a unique opportunity for detailed examination of the underlying relationship between media …

Cowpox And Counterpublics: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Anti-Covid Vaccine Conspiracy Theories On Social Media, Cole Melton '26

Honor Scholar Theses

In order to better understand why people construct and perpetuate anti-COVID vaccine conspiracy theories, I perform a rhetorical analysis of some conspiracy theories widespread on social media during the height of the COVID vaccination effort. I begin with a literature review, highlighting the history and efficacy of vaccine technology, gathering characteristics and definitions of conspiracy theories, and reviewing the history of the anti-vaccine movement. Ultimately, I argue that anti-COVID vaccine conspiracy theorists understand vaccination as an attack on personal rights by the U.S. government, prompting the conspiracy theorists to establish an ideological institution rival to the U.S. government that would …

Media Center Gets New Studio, Name, Timesdaily

Documents

New Media Center and grand opening for the new Communications Building (former Gymnasium) in 1988

Res Historica, Volume 5, Alpha Rho Epsilon Phi Alpha Theta, Lindsay Rae Smith Privette Phd

Res Historica

The 2026 journal of historical research by Anderson University students, Res Historica.

The editorial team for this edition of Res Historica was Dr. Lindsay Rae Smith Privette, Julia Ackerman, Callyn Wright, Logan Davis, and John Hinton. Cover art by Mary Beth Lee.

Beyond The Badge: How Internal Culture Contradicts External Service In Urban Police Departments, Rowan Bari Eiselman

Educational Studies Student Papers and Posters

This ethnographic study examines how gendered workplace culture and mental health culture shape officer retention in two urban police departments: the Orange Police Department and the Los Angeles Police Department's 77th District. Through ride-alongs, observations, and informal interviews with nine current and retired officers (four female, five male) across various ranks conducted between March and April 2026, this research reveals a troubling contradiction: departments tasked with serving diverse communities struggle to support diversity within their own ranks. Female officers navigate professional isolation, prolonged competence-proving expectations, and implicit career-versus-motherhood choices, with experiences varying significantly between the more supportive Orange PD and …

Rock On! Examining The Relationship Between Armed Conflict And Rock Protest Music, Dylan Conner Dunn

Senior Theses

This thesis explores the relationship between rock protest music and wars, armed conflicts, and other related events. The purpose of this research is to explore how such specific events, or war and conflict in general, influence rock songwriters. This paper examines a series of nine rock songs ranging across five decades, from the Vietnam War to the 2010s. A variety of artists wrote and recorded these songs, ranging from hard rock to classic rock, to folk rock and beyond. Some are more audially intense, lyrically visceral, and featuring explicit language, whereas others are much more stripped-back and “family-friendly.” Each of …

‘They’Re Squeezing Us Like An Accordion’:Assessing The Information Environment Of Working-Class Residents Of Dublin’S North Inner City, Stephanie Costello

Irish Communication Review

This article assesses the communication environment of the north inner city of Dublin, an area characterised by entrenched disadvantage, rapid demographic change, and neoliberal urban renewal. Findings were produced from a ten-week engagement journalism project involving the Dublin Inquirer, various community groups, and working-class residents. Using Communication Infrastructure Theory (CIT), the study draws on focus groups, participant observation, and interviews to assess local storytelling networks in the context of the project. The findings reveal a fractured communication action context (CAC), where safety concerns, transient populations, litter, lack of public space, and negative national media portrayals constrain residents' ability to connect …

From Lino To Luxury: Class, Taste And Identity In The Mid-Twentieth Century Irish Provincial ‘Good Room’, Angela Mehegan

Irish Communication Review

The aim of this paper is to position issues of class and taste within the context of the home and through the lens of the domestic in mid-twentieth century provincial Ireland from the early 1950s to the early 1970s. This was a time of unprecedented economic growth and heralded a period of social and cultural change. Our homes and the artefacts we surround ourselves with are central to our sense of self and how we wish to be seen by others. Issues of class, taste, status, gender, and aesthetic possibilities are unpacked by focusing on the ‘Good Room’ as a …

Class And The Screen Industries In Ireland – The Unspoken Barriers In The Sector, Caroline Ann O'Sullivan Dr, Mary Ann Bolger Dr

Irish Communication Review

This article proposes the need to widen the diversity conversation in the screen sector in Ireland to one that also considers social inequality. It closely examines the current policies of the main public funders of Ireland’s screen industries, evaluating how these approaches may unintentionally reinforce and sustain structural barriers within the sector. It presents a case study on barriers to entry conducted amongst screen industry practitioners at a professional networking event in 2024. It also draws from qualitative interviews with working class industry professionals who have sought out upskilling and further training opportunities through TU Dublin and Screen Ireland. The …

The Middle-Class Rip-Off'? Subsiding Culture In Contemporary Ireland, Connell Vaughan Dr

Irish Communication Review

In the last few years (roughly since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic) there has been a noted increase in state-led cultural funding in Ireland. Key examples include the raise in the financial allocation to the Arts Council, the introduction of the Basic Income for the Arts scheme, and increased sports capital funding. With reference to the official communication documents of these cases (so-called ‘grey literature’) and deploying the classic 1982 episode of the British sitcom Yes, Minister, ‘The Middle-Class Rip-Off,’ which pitches sports funding against support for the arts, as a satirical lens, this paper reflects on the contemporary …

Gendered Discourses And Classed Access Routes For Feminist Djs In Irish Subcultural Scenes, Andrea Cleary

Irish Communication Review

This article examines feminist collectives in Ireland’s electronic/dance music (E/DM) and music technology (MT) scenes, focusing on how gender and class intersect to shape access and participation. Drawing on thematic analysis of interviews with five collective members active between 2016 and 2025, it traces paths to participation from "musical homes" to instrument education to university DJ societies. To do this, it examines the overlapping family, cultural and subcultural capitals which shaped their journeys. Finally, this article considers the role of feminist collectives in creating alternative educational spaces and networks for women and gender minority participation in E/DM cultures.

‘It’S The Best Person For The Job’: Gendering Logic And The Hiring Practices Of Music Organisations In Ireland, Yvonne Kiely Dr

Irish Communication Review

Despite calls for reform in the allocation of jobs in music industries, little is known about how music organisations operate internally and the day-to-day realities that male and female workers must navigate. Findings of bullying and harassment in the arts sector by the Irish Theatre Institute prompted the Irish government in 2022 to issue a set of recommendations aimed at reforming the working conditions and gender divisions of labour of arts sector organisations under its remit. These recommendations were made in the absence of academic studies of music organisations in Ireland, and in the absence of centralised data about these …